Leucanthemum plant named ‘Florleulag’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant named ‘Florleulag’, characterized by its white-colored inflorescences, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Leucanthemum x superbum.

Variety denomination: ‘Florleulag’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant botanically known as Leucanthemum x superbum and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Florleulag’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Quedlinburg, Germany during July 2011. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Leucanthemum cultivars having large inflorescences with early seasonal flowering.

The new Leucanthemum cultivar is the result of open-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is the proprietary Leucanthemum x superbum breeding selection coded 180-1, not patented, characterized by its white-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is unknown. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated open-pollination during August 2012 in a controlled environment in Quedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since August 2012 in Quedlinburg, Germany and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Florleulag’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant:

-   -   1. White-colored inflorescences;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, compact-upright growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent primarily in having lower growth vigor, larger-sized flowers with earlier seasonal flowering.

Of the many commercially available Leucanthemum cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is the Leucanthemum cultivar ‘Snowcap’, not patented. However, in side by side comparisons, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Snowcap’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have larger diameter         inflorescences than plants of ‘Snowcap’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have earlier seasonal flowering         than plants of ‘Snowcap’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Florleulag’. The plants were approximately 15 weeks old and were grown in 13 cm pots for approximately 10 weeks in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Florleulag’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual inflorescence of ‘Florleulag’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in June 2017 under natural light conditions in Boskoop, The Netherlands.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately 15 week old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hendrik-Ido-Ambacht, The Netherlands under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in 13 cm pots utilizing a soilless growth medium for approximately 10 weeks. During this period the temperatures ranged from 57.2° F. to 64.4° F. (14.0° C. to 18.0° C.). No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Florleulag’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Leucanthemum x superbum breeding             selection coded 180-1, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Unknown. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days at             70° F. (21° C.).         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 5 to 6 weeks             at 70° F. (21° C.).         -   Root description.—Fibrous, thin, white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching, dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 10 to 12 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Moderately vigorous,             compact-upright growth habit.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Hardiness.—USDA zones 4a to 9b.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 21.8 cm. Width: Approximately 23.6 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching improves basal             branching. Quantity of lateral branches per plant:             Approximately 7.         -   Lateral branch.—Strength: Strong. Length: Approximately             6.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm. Length of central             internode: Approximately 1.0 cm. Texture: Slightly glossy,             glabrous. Color of young stems: 143C. Color of mature stems:             137C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per lateral branch:             Approximately 15. Fragrance: None detected. Form: Single.             Arrangement: Alternate.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute angle to stem; perpendicular to obtuse             angle to stem with age. Shape: Lanceolate. Margin: Coarsely             serrate. Apex: Bluntly acute. Base: Sessile, truncate.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 7.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: 2.1 cm. Texture             of upper surface: Very slightly glossy, glabrous. Texture of             lower surface: Very slightly glossy, glabrous. Color of             upper surfaces of young foliage: 137B with midvein of 144C.             Color of lower surfaces of young foliage: 137C with midvein             of 144C. Color of upper surfaces of mature foliage: NN137A             with main venation of 144A and 144B. Color of lower surfaces             of mature foliage: in between 137B and 138A with main             venation of 143B. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Florleulag’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions with substantially continuous             blooming from early to late summer.         -   Lastingness of individual inflorescence on the             plant.—Approximately 14 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Daisy-type composite,             actinomorphic. Persistent. Shape: Round. Aspect: Erect.             Arrangement: Terminal capitulum, positioned above and below             the foliage. Quantity per plant: Approximately 3. Diameter:             Approximately 7.3 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.7 cm.             Fragrance: None detected.         -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Erect. Length:             Approximately 8.4 cm. Diameter: Approximately 3.5 mm.             Texture: Glabrous, slightly glossy. Color: 137C.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 4 to 5 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open inflorescence.             Quantity per plant: Approximately 17.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Oblate. Diameter:             Approximately 1.8 cm. Depth: Approximately 1.4 cm. Color:             Slightly lighter than 150D.         -   Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 36.             Arrangement: In a single whorl, imbricate. Aspect: Slightly             concave. Shape: Elliptic. Margin: Entire. Apex: Three acute             tips. Base: Cuneate. Length: Approximately 2.8 cm. Width:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous, axially ribbed. Color of upper and lower surfaces             when first open: NN155B. Color of upper and lower surfaces             when fully open: NN155D.         -   Disc florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: Approximately 400.             Arrangement: Massed in center of inflorescence. Shape:             Tubular, lower 90% fused. Margin: Entire. Apex: Five acute             tips. Base: Fused. Length: Approximately 7.5 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Texture of outer surface: Slightly             glossy, glabrous. Texture of inner surface: Glandular             pubescent on tips. Color of upper or inner surface when             first and fully open: 144B with tips of 9A and base of 145B.             Color of lower or outer surface when fully open: 144B with             tips of 9A and base of 145B.         -   Disc.—Diameter: Approximately 2.7 cm. Depth: Approximately             7.0 mm.         -   Receptacle.—Shape: Cone. Height: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Diameter at base: Approximately 1.1 cm. Color: 145A to 145B.         -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence Approximately 75.             Arrangement: In three equally divided whorls. All bracts             unfused, inner bracts surround receptacle, slightly             imbricate, held close to ray florets.         -   Outer phyllaries.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Bluntly acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 7.0 mm.             Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper surfaces:             Glabrous, glossy. Texture of lower surfaces: Glabrous,             matte. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 143A.         -   Inner phyllaries.—Shape: Ovate. Margin: Entire. Apex:             Bluntly acute. Base: Truncate. Length: Approximately 9.0 mm.             Width: Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of upper surfaces:             Glabrous, glossy. Texture of lower surfaces: Glabrous,             matte. Color of upper and lower surfaces: 143A with margins             transparent 199D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Stamen quantity: 5. Stamen length: Approximately             4.0 mm. Filament length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Filament             color: NN155D. Anther shape: Oblong, basifixed. Anther             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 13A to 13B.             Pollen amount: Moderate to abundant. Pollen color: 23A.             Gynoecium: Present on ray and disc florets. Pistil quantity:             1 per floret. Pistil length: Approximately 6.0 mm. Stigma             shape: Bifid. Stigma length: Approximately 1.0 mm. Stigma             color: 9B. Style length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Style color:             145C. Ovary length: Approximately 1.5 mm. Ovary color: 145B. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Leucanthemum has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Leucanthemum plant named ‘Florleulag’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 